Back To That Spring
by jayhogartismyangel
Summary: Five years have passed since Adam Torres' untimely death. Clare stayed in Canada and graduated, before going to the University of Toronto. Eli moved to America to escape the pain. What happens when their paths cross, again? EClare, Drianca past Adam/Katie
1. Chapter 1

**Back To That Spring**

**Summary: Five years have passed since Adam Torres' untimely death. Clare stayed in Canada and graduated, before going to the University of Toronto. Eli moved to America to escape the pain. What happens when their paths cross, again? Will they find their happily ever after, or will all be left in the dust?**

**A/N: This is something I wrote after seeing a Degrassi secret from awhile back, saying that if Adam died, it would probably get EClare back together. I kind of disagreed with that. If anything, it would probably tear them apart. Eli already had Julia die and Adam is his best friend, and Clare's dad and sister are both absent from her life...**

**Pairings: EClare, Drianca, some past Katie/Adam. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or any of it's characters. Only the OCs: Andrea(Andi) and Adam Michael Torres. Drew and Bianca's two year old daughter and three year old son.**

**Prologue**

Eli Goldsworthy's hands shook as he pressed the doorbell to the Drew Torres' apartment. He had no idea why his deceased best friend's older brother had called him here. He hadn't been to this town in _years. _Five to be exact, having left right after Adam's funeral. He could still remember that night. A night that he blamed himself for. After all, he had wanted to celebrate Adam's soon to be graduation, and so had Drew. The alcohol had been a bad idea. So had the driving. The aftermath had been even worse. Besides Adam being dead...the fact that Eli had to watch his best friend be hurt like that, was the look that Clare held in her eyes. He was so sure that he saw anger and hatred there. And he couldn't exactly blame her.

Just then, the door opened and Drew stood there, looking exhausted. There were bags under his blue eyes and tearstains on his cheeks. "Hey." The man mumbled, stepping back so that Eli could come inside. "Clare and Katie are already here. They're helping Bee, with Andi and Adam. I wish that I could say that it was good to see you, but..." He trailed off, letting out a pained sigh, willing himself not to cry. He'd done cried enough, for one day. For one _lifetime._ He was so damn tired of it.

Eli's breath caught in his throat at the mention of Clare. He didn't know what it was going to be like, seeing her again. Not after so long. Not after what had happened to Adam. He couldn't help but wonder, how her life had been going. Fiona and Imogen had written him letters, telling him how Clare had went to the University of Toronto and was writing for the paper. Eli had even gotten a copy of Clare's first novel. One that had been very hard to read, because clearly, it had been based off of what had happened to Adam. He let out a shaky breath and shook his head. "Believe me. I know." He whispered seriously. That had been exactly why he'd left.

The two men walked into the living room, where Katie, Bianca, and Clare sat.

"Are Andi and Adam asleep?" Drew asked, going over to sit next to his wife, embraing her.

Bianca nodded slightly. "Yeah. They're out like a light. They shouldn't wake up for awhile." She told him.

Drew let out a weary sigh, running a hand through his light brown hair. "I guess that you're probably wondering why I wanted you to come here." He said, addressing himself to Eli.

Eli stuffed his shaky hands into his pockets, averting his eyes when he caught Clare looking at him. "I haven't heard from any of you, in five years. Now all of a sudden, I do? What's this about."

"We've decided to create a program at Degrassi. To teach people, against drunk driving." Clare said in a small voice, locking eyes on him. "Drew, Katie, Bianca, and I were hoping that you'd help."

The man in question scoffed, laughing bitterly. "And why would you want help from the guy who is the reason why, his best friend is dead?" He questioned coldly, glaring at the small group with hard green eyes.

May _1st, 2013_

_"You guys, I don't think this is such a good idea." Adam said, swallowing hard as he watched Eli sway a bit. "Maybe we should just call a cab."_

_Drew let out a loud obnoxious laugh. "Adam! Don't be such a...such a-" He trailed off confusedly, not knowing what he'd been about to say._

_Eli chuckled, walking over to the two brothers and plucking the keys from Drew's hands. "Nothing is going to happen Adam. There's no reason for you to worry. I'm fine."_

_Adam rolled his eyes with a groan. If he wasn't feeling so terrible from the drinks, he'd argue with Eli. But in this moment, he really didn't want to deal with his best friend's or brother's stubborness. Instead, he opened the passenger side door and slid inside while Drew got into the back, basically collapsing onto the seat, in a fit of giggles._

_Eli had been driving for awhile, when it happened. He didn't pay attention to where he was going and ran through a red light, just as a silver truck was heading torwards them on the passenger side. Before Eli even had the chance to react, the truck slammed right into the passenger side door, causing Adam's head to slam forward, into the dashboard as glass shattered around them._

0000-

Clare narrowed her eyes at his words and shook his head. "THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU, ELI!" She burst out. "It's about **Adam! **Nobody should have to go through what Adam or the rest of us did." She shook off Katie's hand. She knew that she shouldn't be yelling at Eli, but he was just angering her so much! Why didn't he get it?

_May 2, 2013_

_The accident didn't kill Adam. Not immediatly. Instead, it left him unconcious. Basically just a vegetable. The doctors and nurses had said that it might take months or even years for him to wake up. And if he _**did**_ wake up, there was no guarantee that he'd remember anything. Clare had been shocked to say the least, when she stepped into the hospital room and saw him lying there amongst the beeping of the machines. It was unusually and uncomfortably quiet. She wasn't used to it. Not when Adam was around. The boy was so full of life, which made it even harder to be here. To see him like this, all bruised, frail, and so utterly broken._

_She had yet to see Eli. She knew that he was okay, having escaped with only a few bruises. And yet...he wasn't here. From what she'd heard, he hadn't been here at all. If Clare's instincts were right, she knew that her boyfriend was probably blaming himself. It was probably even worse than it had been with Jula, considering Eli had been driving the car this time. She couldn't help but be a little angry. **What **exactly had the guys been thinking, driving drunk?_

_"He hasn't woken up, yet?" A small voice interrupted. _

_Clare glanced up, startled to see Katie standing there. She looked rough. Eyes red rimmed from crying and her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, wearing a pair of sweatpants and baggy tee-shirt. "No. The doctors...they said that it might take awhile." She didn't exactly want to tell the other girl exactly how long that the doctors had implied. Adam wouldn't want his girlfriend to worry._

_Katie nodded. "I..I'd have been here sooner, b-but Marisol didn't think that it'd be a good idea. S-she drove me, as soon as she got off of work." She stuttered, more tears leaking from her eyes._

_The younger teen took a step forward, embracing the taller girl comfortingly, rubbing her back. "You've got to breathe, Katie. Adam wouldn't want you to get sick."_

_"I don't know what I'll do if he dies, Clare. I love him." The other girl whimpered, covering her face with her hands._

_Clare didn't say anything in reply, eyes falling to the bed where Adam lay. She silently prayed that Adam would be okay and that wherever Eli was, he was safe._

**To be continued: Clare and Eli argue, Eli goes to Adam's grave.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Back To That Spring**

**Chapter Two:**

Eli's eyes narrowed dangerously at Clare's words. "Don't you think that I know that? I _know _that it's about Adam. You're acting as if he was just your friend! He was my best friend, too!" He snarled, fists clenching at his sides.

"Well you certainly proved what a good friend you were, when you ran away, didn't you!" She hissed at him, feeling angry tears sting her eyes.

"Would you two shut the hell up or get out?" Bianca growled, glaring at the two of them. "You're going to wake up Andi and Adam. I'd rather them not have to hear this."

Eli shook his head with a bitter laugh. "I _knew _that this was a bad idea. I should've never come back." He whispered. stalking over torwards the door, and going outside. He didn't listen as Drew tried desperately to call him back inside. He just got into his car and began to drive, tears blurring his vision. He'd known that Clare would blame him for Adam's death. How could she not? What kind of best friend had he been, putting his best friend's life in danger, and then running away like a coward?

Back in the Torres home, Clare stood in the same spot that she'd been in, since Eli had left. She stared at the door angrily, not knowing what to say or do.

"Clare, did you really have to yell at him?" Katie asked, staring at the girl from her seat on the couch.

"I _hate_ him!" She said loudly, voice a little choked up. "I hate him so much! He ran away, when I needed him! He couldn't deal with it, so he left. What kind of person would do that? And then have the nerve to come back and act as if he actually cared? It's all bull. He's nothing but a liar." With that, she hurried past Drew and out the door. As soon as she was in her car, she began to sob. She gripped the steering wheel harshly, tears spilling down her cheeks. For what seemed like the millionth time, since Adam's death, she cursed the universe for taking the boy from all of them.

Back inside the house, Drew leaned his forehead against the wall, not knowing what to do or say. He wasn't like Adam had been. He had no idea how to convince Clare and Eli to make up. It wasn't like they'd listen to him, anyway.

"I should go check on the kids." Bianca murmured, walking slowly down the hall and into the room that her daughter and son shared. She smiled at the sight of her son, curled up in his bed. She tiptoed over, kneeling next to the bed and pushing his light brown hair from his eyes. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and stared down at him. She had never thought that she'd end up with a life like this. Not for one second. But she was happy. The only thing that would make her happier was if her son's namesake was still alive. She wished that Adam Jr. and Andi had been able to know their uncle. She guessed that plan hadn't been in the cards, though. She felt the tears streaming down her cheeks but she didn't brush them away. She just let herself cry. During the summer before her senior year, at Degrassi, she had become great friends with Adam. Even before she and Drew had gotten back together, she'd begun to see Adam as a little brother. It had hit her hard, having to lose him. He'd just been so accepting of her. She jumped a bit when she felt arms wrap around her small waist and a pair of lips press against her cheek.

"Katie just left." Drew whispered into her ear, causing her to relax in his arms. "She needed to get to a family dinner. And she has to go to work, in the morning." He unwrapped his arms from around her and walked over to the pretty, white crib, in the corner of the room. He reached in to pick up Andi, holding his wife's little miniature version of herself, in his arms. "We need to buy her a big girl bed, soon." He swallowed hard, trying to force himself to not think about the topic of his dead brother. It had already been a long, hard day. And it wasn't even over, yet.

Eli stopped his car on the small road, getting out rather quickly. He began to walk briskly up the hill, letting the quiet sooth him. He stopped short as his eyes landed on the beautiful marble stone just a few feet ahead. He hadn't been here in a long while, and he felt the need to brace himself. He stepped torwards it, falling to his knees infront of the stone and staring at the name written on the shiny surface. _Adam Torres. _His date of birth and death was also written on the rock, but Eli didn't really want to focus on that. "Hey Adam." He said with a small, forced smile. "I know that you haven't heard from me in awhile, and wherever you are, you're probably busy. But I just had to come here. I'm back home, now. Your brother called me and asked me to visit. Clare was there and we got into an arguement. She's not too happy with me. Not that I blame her." He took in a deep, shuddering breath as tears stung his eyes. "Look, I wanted to tell you again how sorry I am for what happened! I'm sorry that you're dead, Adam. And because of me. It should be me buried here, not you. I took you away from everyone. From your family. From your other friends. From Katie. That night...it wasn't supposed to end the way that it did. It wasn't supposed to end with you, unresponsive, on a hospital bed. You were supposed to wake up. But you never did." Eli's shaky hand reached into his pocket for the pill bottle, in it. His hands shook, even more, as he struggled to pull of the cap. Dumping two pills into his palm, he brought them up to his mouth, swallowing them, hastily.

**Next Chapter: More flashbacks. Clare talks to Alli. Run-ins, and panic attacks.**


End file.
